Another Chance For Freedom
by InTheShadowWord
Summary: An unexpected attack from the titans leaves mostly everyone in the walls dead. Watch as Eren is thrust back in time to try and stop this future from happening. Will he succeed or will he fail? Only time will tell. AU
1. Prologue

_No, no this can't be happening._ Bodies were being torn apart._ Why is this happening?_ Levi's dead corpse staring at me with lifeless eyes._ Why now?_ Mikasa's crying as Armin fell lifeless in her arms. _Everything was finally perfect._ Mikasa's scream as she, too, became one of the dead bodies littering the ground_._ _What did we do to deserve this?_ The pain that filled my mind as I was smashed into a wall by a titan. _I must fight!_ My blade piercing through several titans necks._ There are so many..._ The terror of the feeling of being surrounded by these monsters. _How did they get in?_ Killing another titan. _Everyone...is dead..._ Becoming overwhelmed by the numbers. _I have to keep fighting._ Running out of gas. _There are too many titans, I won't come out of this alive._ Being picked up by a titan. Becoming that titans next meal. Smiling, as I too, would finally join my friends, my lover, in the afterlife. Knowing nothing but darkness. _Maybe death isn't so bad._

Becoming confused with the fact that I was...dreaming? Felling my eyes open slowly. Seeing Mikasa's blurry face, her blurry young face. "We should be getting back."_ Wait...what?_


	2. An unexpected journey

I stared wide eyed at this young version of Mikasa, staring at me the exact way she did all those years ago. My breath got stuck inside of my throat, my mind no longer working, not being able to comprehend what the hell was going on. Her eyes seemed to take on a concerned look. One that would grow more and more protective as we grew older. "Eren, are you feeling well?" I didn't know how to answer that. Am I stuck in a dream? Is this even real life? If it is, then how did this happen? Her eyes became more and more concerned as minutes went by without me answering. "Eren? Eren, can you hear me?" I blinked out of my daze and stared at her.

"Oh, yes I'm fine, Mikasa." I said blinking rapidly, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Well," she began, not quite losing her look of suspicion and concern, "we should be getting back." I smiled at her and awkwardly stood, not at all used to this tiny sized body.

"Yes, let's head home."

All the way back to our home Mikasa kept sending me concerned side glances, even if she hid it well.

I had forgotten how peaceful everything was before that day. You would hardly recognize this place now back in my time, or what I assumed was my time. I'm still quite confused about what is happening.

We approached the gate to the Shiganshira District with the collected sticks on our backs. Hannes was standing in the gate entrance with a drunken flush on his cheeks. I felt myself become enraged at the sight, remembering how this is how my day started. We slowly made our way to Hannes and the gate to our home. With a saddened look on my face I said in a small voice, "Oh, you've been drinking again." My sadness was lost on Hannes in his drunken state, as he just smiled and laughed.

"Would you two care to join me?" He said in that infuriatingly drunk voice of his.

"Shouldn't you be working?" I said in an attempt to scold him. He gave me an amused look, as if what I said was the most hilarious thing someone has said all year.

"Ah, if a titan gets in here, we will take care of it. Besides! If some alcohol gets put in our drinks, who's it gonna hurt?" He said with that smile on his face. I felt a bitter smile grace my face as I looked up at the man who had failed to save my mother.

"Mr. Hannes, everyone will get hurt. If you are in a drunken state when a titan attack was to happen, how would you defend yourself? How would you defend the people within these walls? You would be incapable to! Why? Because your drunken self would not think of protecting the walls, would not think about protecting the people, but it would think only to protect itself! You trained in the military for this, act like an adult for once in your life!" I said in an angry tone, my captaining skills making themselves known. I briskly walked away from Hannes, knowing that Mikasa would follow me wherever I went. If I had taken a moment to look up from my steaming mood I would have noticed the shocked and respectful faces of all four men who were supposed to be guarding the gate.

"If I were you, I would just give up on the Scouting Region." I became completely confused, wondering where this came from before I remembered this moment that was imprinted in my mind from so long ago. The memory of the time my 'heroes' came back from their latest mission. I sighed sadly as I looked at this much more innocent version of Mikasa.

"No Mikasa, I can not do that. The Scouting Region is where my heart lives, whether I want it to or not." Mikasa made to interrupt me, but I continued speaking before she could. "Mikasa you must understand I-" _Oh to hell with it. If I AM in the past, I might as well start changing things. _"It's not just about wanting to see the outside world. I want to be able to protect people from the titans. It's about making bonds stronger than anyone could ever begin to imagine, it's about changing the world and fighting back for the rights of humanity." I sighed as I looked down to the ground, "It's about making a family and overcoming the hard times with said family." Here I looked up and smiled at Mikasa. "It's about everything and nothing at once, but most of all, it's about freedom." Mikasa stared at me with a bewildered look on her face, contemplating what I had just said. Not being able to fully understand.

"Eren wha-" Mikasa was interrupted by the tolling of bells signifying that the Scouting Corps had made their way back. I looked at Mikasa and faked a smile, dragging her behind me claiming that we had to go see them at the opening gates. The familiar faces that stood in a not so perfect line trying to observe the damage done to this new batch of recruits.

I made my way over to the boxes that I had stood on last time, when I was filled with such child like wonder at the heroes that fought to protect us. This time, however, when I stood atop the box there was not a huge grin on my face, or laughter in my eyes. There was sympathy and understanding. Bitterness and sadness, all locked into one look. This time when Commander Erwin looked at me, his face did not hold bitterness, but confusion. I wondered why he would look at me in such a way. After all, I had done nothing of importance yet. I took in the gruesome scene the dead bodies and body parts made. Such a horrible but familiar sight to my eyes. I snapped my head over when I heard a familiar old woman's voice pierced my ears.

"Moses? Moses! Excuse me Sir, have you seen Moses? I have looked everywhere, but can't see him!" The man stared at her in silence for a brief moment, before turning to his counterpart.

"This is Moses' mother, go get it." I watched with a heavy heart as the old woman received the mutilated arm of her dead son. No matter how many times I saw it, it never got easier. "It was all that we could retrieve." The women's broken cries shattered the tense silence around us. Her eyes became wide and dilated, and her cries became hysterical.

"But my son, he was helpful...yes? Even if he did not achieve direct greatness… Surely my son's death helped humanity fight back, yes?!" There was a moment of silence where the soldier did not look like we wanted to respond, to shell shocked about what she was saying.

"Of course! No… on this latest scouting mission, we...no...just like all the other missions… we achieved nothing at all! My incompetence has done nothing but needlessly send soldiers to their deaths! We haven't found anything about them!" Where the Scouting Legion had stopped before, they began to move again, but I didn't want to let that happen. I could not go knowing that a soldier was feeling so low about everything that had happened to him. I pushed and shoved my way through the crowd, ignoring Mikasa's warning voice telling me to stop. I walked in front of the man who was previously speaking with the old woman, who was still shell shocked on the ground. My presence brought an immediate halt to the moving squad. The man looked at me with heavy eyes and a depressed posture. I took in a deep breath and projected my voice as loud as I could make it.

"Mister, you know that what you just said is wrong, correct?" The silence around me was deafening. "Every human life that is given for this is one step forward for our nation, yet two steps back for the family. You have found a great deal of information about the titans, whether you acknowledge it or not. You have found different variants of titans, you have found out more about the outside world in which the titans live, and every day you go outside of these walls, you find out more." A sad smile graced my lips as I stared up at the broken man before me. "Death is a part of this life that we were forced into, you and your squad just happen to see it more, but not for one _second _should you think that the lives of these dead men and women have not contributed to humanity. They have given their lives to protect the ones who are still alive in your squad, and the people who reside within these walls. They gave their lives so that another family would not have to grieve the loss of a child, or husband, or wife. Father or brother, sister or lover, they have given themselves so that other people may be happy. Sir, while it is more than okay to grieve for the souls who have lost their lives, it is not okay to say you have achieved nothing." The man's face was stunned, as if he didn't believe what he was hearing. I shifted my gaze slightly and noticed that Erwin was staring at me with large eyes and a contemplatively dazed look.

"What do you know about loss and death?! You don't know how it feels to have blood of people you love coating your skin!" The man was on the verge of hysteria as he said these things to me.

"Sir, with all do respect, I know how it feels to take a life, and I know how it feels to see your close people dead, but most importantly I know how it feels to save a life. If you just concentrate on the negative things in life, you will not prosper into your full potential. For the sake of yourself and your squad mates, I suggest you reevaluate your standings, and miss...I am sorry for your loss." With these parting words I walked back over to Mikasa, all too aware of the silence that followed in my wake, and grabbed her hand. "Come, Mikasa. We have to bring the firewood home for mother." I walked away with a bounce in my step, and humming a light tune, because before I walked away from the soldier, I noticed a spark of hope flash across his face as he stared at me in wonder. _Yes _I thought to myself _if I really am back in time, then I am going to make things right. I am going to give people hope, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that the people that I care about do not die again! I will bring a new hope to humanity!_

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**A/N~ So, how is it? Do you think I should continue? Reviews and constructive criticisms are always welcome! Until next time!**


	3. Calm Before The Storm

It was a strange feeling, having Mikasas' speculating gaze fixed upon me. Every few minutes she would let up and look at something else, but her gaze always traveled back to me. It was becoming quite concerning. _If she doesn't stop this soon, I'm going to go insa-_ My thought process was rudely interrupted by the very being I was thinking about. "Eren." She paused to take a moment to stare at me. "Have you changed your mind about joining the Scout Regiment." oh...I had forgotten about this conversation, but didn't we just have one similar to it? i sighed, knowing that she would never stop asking.

"No, Mikasa. As I said before, my heart and soul reside within the Scout Regiment." I said in a pitiful voice. How long would it be until I saw Levi again? How long would it be until Levi even began to _care _for me again? How long until I could feel his warm, calloused hands inside of mine? _Stop it, Eren. You're just making things worse for yourself. _

Mikasa didn't respond after that, and it was a long, awkward walk home after that.

Nostalgia was the first thing that came to mind. My old house, my beautiful house with my beautiful mother and sort of obnoxious father. I couldn't help but smile. My family was finally together again. "We're home!" I copied what I had done last time as best as I could. I walked slowly over to the chest and poured the wood that Mikasa and I had gathered.

"Wow Eren, you actually worked hard!" I never thought such teasing words could bring me so much joy. My mother was a wonderful sight to my broken eyes as she stood there in all her glory. Her round face stared at me loving and intensely, as if she had all the answers in the world. It felt as if I was going to cry, finally seeing my mother. I managed to stutter out a quick affirmative, before she pinched my ear, smiling that sarcastic smile the entire time. "Your ears are red. That shows that you're lying. You had Mikasa help you with those, didn't you?"

A deep chuckled erupted from my mouth as I, once again, nodded my head in confirmation. My mother looked at me with a loving look on her face, before she turned around towards the kitchen. It was silent, and everything was well.

"Hey, Dad? Can I talk to you alone for a moment?" He looked confused, good. My father, how I love him. However he has done wrong and I need to know why.

"Sure son! Let's go ou-" I interrupted him. We were not going to leave this house under any circumstances.

"Let's go to my room!" God I hate talking like that, too chipper. "It will be less noisy for us up there!" He simply blinked.

"Okay Son, whatever you say." We went up stairs.

Once fully inside of my room, door closed and all, I let the good guy mask slip. I was undeniably and irrevocably pissed. "Now, Father, just what _the hell_ were you planning on doing?" Again the look of shock, it was getting old, quickly. "Don't play dumb. I know what you were planning on doing. I know about the shot, to unlock the titan, right?! But what authority do you have to make that choice for a person? What power do you hold over us that you would be able to do such a thing? And what about today hmm? You knew that the attack was coming today didn't you, and you were just going to leave. You were, probably still are, just going to leave your wife and two children alone during a titan attack you sick _fuck_. Explain to me and explain to me _now_ or I will not hesitate to throw you through that window and into our neighbors house. For some reason I don't think that would please them too much." I was furious, and nothing was holding me back. He was going to answer me, one way or the other.

"Now Son, I can assure you I knew of no such things. Are you sick, Eren?" His eyes were worried, afraid. It gave me strength.

"I do not trust you, let that stand, but whatever you may be thinking know this, I have been and forever shall be one step ahead of you. You are absolutly nothing compared to me, and when you leave today know this, you are leaving behind a wife that will most likely be killed, and two children who will be traumatized and without a family."

"Eren you have no idea what you are speaking of, stop this immediately." The sound of a slap could be heard resonating throughout the room.

"Get out, and never fucking come back."

"Eren please, you must understand!"  
"Understand what exactly, that you're a traitor?"

"Eren, no this is for the good of humanity."

"You lie."

"Eren! What has gotten into you my boy?"

"How is killing off more than half the population for 'The good of humanity'?"

"Eren...this is not at all how I imagined this conversation."

"No, it's not. You imagined that I would be paralyzed by fear until you struck me with your needle, and then consume you in a fit of titan rage. That's how you saw it." He stared, and I knew I had hit the nail spot on. "When you leave, you better leave the basement key, and the next time I want to see you is when you try and pump me full of drugs." My eyes got a fake sparkle in them and a sickeningly sweet smile stretched across my face. "Are you ready for dinner Daddy?" I saw him visibly shudder and nod his head. "Good."

"There you two are! I was beginning to think that a titan had snuck into your room and kidnapped the both of you!" I smiled at her remark. "So what was taking so long, huh?" Fuck. Think quick, make it believable.

"I was just trying to persuade Dad to let me see the basement, but he wouldn't let me." I threw a mock glare at my father as he stared with slightly opened eyes. My mother only chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"You know your father is just as headstrong as you are, you aren't going to persuade him to change his mind about anything." True words, to multiple questions.

"Yes, I know. He really was...headstrong about not letting me see!" Please don't notice the hesitation. Please don't notice. She smiled and nodded.

"Sounds like him." She said as she placed a kiss on his cheek. Dad checked his watch and his eyes widened slightly. Huh, guess it's time.

"I have to go now darling, or I'm going to be late." My mom looked sad, and suddenly I felt bad for my outburst. This might very well be the last time that I see my father, and I don't want it to be on bad terms. I went to his plate at the table and packed it up while he and my mother exchanged farewells. It was a small comfort for him, after the emotional beat down I probably forced onto him, but it was all I could do. When he finally reached the door and my mother was out of ear range I grabbed his hand.

"Dad...no matter what I may have said, I still love you. Don't forget that m'kay? You're loved." With these parting words I handed him his packed dinner and turned around, not waiting for his reply. It may be selfish of me, but I really don't want to see the look of disappointment on his face.

If I had taken the time to look up, I would have noticed something that I had always wanted to see, something that I had dreamed of. If I had looked up, I would have noticed my fathers proud face as he stared at me, and I would have seen the tears of joy beginning to form in his eyes, but I didn't look up, and I would never know.

¯\\(°_o)/¯

AND THAT IS A WRAP! Holy shit guys, why did no one tell me I wasn't actually updating?! You guys were left hangin and probably already forgot about this shit storm of a story, BUT FEAR NOT! I have returned to ruin your lives with feels and cliff hangers~ Also! Have some angry Eren. Can't have him cool headed all the time, that's just too OOC. Also if you haven't figured it out this is going to be based, loosely might I add, on the anime. It is also extremely AU. No but in all honesty, if I don't update in that long ever again someone needs to PM me and tell me to get off my lazy ass. Whelp with that being said, see you next time!


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